Director General/Executive Director
Distinguished participants,
ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is an honour and pleasure to be here at this meeting of international scientists and I thank my collegues from the Drug Prevention and Health Branch of UNODC for this very useful and timely initiative.
I would particularly like to welcome Ambassador Shamaa of Egypt, the Chairperson of the 57th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
And a warm welcome to the two Chairs of the Scientific Consultation, Professor Nora Volkow, Director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Professor Michel Kazatchkine, UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as well as to our partners from the World Health Organization.
In just two days we will open the High-Level Review of the 2009 Implementation by Member States of the Political Declaration and Plan of Action on the world drug problem.
Delegates will review the achievements and challenges to date, and identify priorities for further action.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of your contribution to this discussion.
The Political Declaration underscores the need for a response to drug use and drug dependence that is based on scientific evidence.
In the Declaration, Member States reiterate their "commitment to promote, develop, review or strengthen effective, comprehensive, integrated drug demand reduction programmes, based on scientific evidence and covering a range of measures".
The Scientific Consultation provides a forum for the academic community to express its voice on urgent issues with respect to the science of drug prevention, treatment and care of drug dependence, and the prevention, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS, as well as related diseases and disorders.
These are complex issues, with many facets. But we must never lose sight of the human dimension of these challenges, the women, men and children affected by drug use and dependence, and by all their negative health and social consequences.
This is why UNODC has emphasized the importance of a health-centred perspective with respect to drug use and dependence, advocating for this on a policy level in forums such as the CND, as well as providing concrete support at the programme level.
We promote identified strategies that link science, policy, clinical practice and grass root interventions on the ground.
This work is also essential to dispel prejudice and confront the discrimination and marginalization of people who use drugs.
The available science is too often neglected when drug use, drug dependence and HIV/AIDS are discussed in a politicized way. This needs to change, and the latest medical and social science research should support the discussion, as with any other health issue.
Allow me to once again thank this international group of scientists for your key contributions to this process so far, and I look forward to being with you again on Thursday at the briefing for High-Level Review delegates on the Scientific Consultation and its conclusions.
Thank you.